The 10 Best Gibson Les Paul Guitarists Of All Time

Here's the top ten, as voted by you. 23-Nov-12

3. Les Paul

Not only did he invent the solid-body electric guitar, but Les Paul also pioneered multi-tracking, tape delay, and pretty much everything that you can think of that exists today: light bulbs, computers... nah we're obviously kidding about those last two, but he was a great inventor.

He was also an outstandingly creative guitarist, influenced by the gypsy jazz movement in Europe, he developed a curious mix of speedy, twiddly jazz-rock guitar playing, and altered the speed of tape playback to create an early surf rock sound.

He also used tape to create a symphony of guitars, which wowed TV audiences when he performed with Mary Ford in the 1950s. Using layers rhythmic chops, lead harmonies, walking basslines, and chord inversions, he did something profoundly exciting with the guitar.

Hailed as the father of modern recording, he is also the real father of rock music, without the Les Paul guitar and the invention of the solid-body, the world of guitar playing would be a very different prospect today.

Simply put, without Les, the rest of the guitarists on this list might have sounded very different.

No Randy Rhoads? I agree with some such as Slash and Jimmy, but to put some of them above Randy is a disgrace... (unless this is players who only played Gibsons, Randy had a Jackson as well)

25-Nov-12 08:07 AM

Amped Bot Said...

Hi ANtonA!

This was a poll, voted for by readers, so everything you see on the list is done by popular vote.

If it helps, Randy came in at number 11!

25-Nov-12 08:11 AM

Sal Adelfio Said...

Ah - I think the great Ace Frehley should have made it in the top 5, but as this was a voting pole, voters didn't agree. Great to see Les Paul in there-but clearly Clapton only briefly used the Les Paul. But Jimmy Page as #1 totally makes sence!

25-Nov-12 08:54 AM

rustee Said...

what, no bonamassa? but fair enough about the rest and it was a poll so guess i should've voted but overall a good list

I am very surprised that Mary Ford (his wife) wasn't voted in.....she could go lick for lick with Les but I guess I'm showing my age now. Thanks Gibson for a great web site !

14-Dec-12 07:38 AM

TN Said...

Joe Perry??? Where's he?

26-Dec-12 12:33 AM

LucyGowen Said...

Paul Kossof!!!!

04-Mar-13 04:50 PM

sickfender Said...

Absolutely, positively crap. You people who "voted" this shit list are completely fucked. Clapton, on a les paul list? Really?

24-Mar-13 08:42 PM

JK Said...

If your giving out About Clapton being on the list consider this:If Eric Clapton hadn't used a Les Paul on the Bluesbreakers album, do you think any one of those players,as fantastic as most of them are,would have started using one? They were very unpopular until thet album,so Claton deserves to be on this list

30-Apr-13 11:16 AM

ROD Said...

WOW, ... Buckethead? Really? Of ALL TIME? I dont really see a lot of kids outr there trying to be BUCKETHEAD, .... but millions that have wanted to be Joe Perry, Ace Frehley, Peter Frampton etc.

19-Jun-13 03:16 PM

Rod Said...

WOW, ... Buckethead? Really? Of ALL TIME? I dont really see a lot of kids outr there trying to be BUCKETHEAD, .... but millions that have wanted to be Joe Perry, Ace Frehley, Rod DiAngelo, Peter Frampton, Gary Richrath etc.

19-Jun-13 03:18 PM

G.G. Said...

Gary Richrath

09-Dec-13 07:31 PM

Sixfinger Said...

I really don't get it. Are these people really serious? The best Les Paul Player ever has to be The Reverend Billy Gibbons? And the most awesome album ever would have to be Tres Hombres. How Billy Gibbons is not mentioned especially when Clapton himself considers him so highly. There is a big difference between riffs licks and Tone. Gibbons is the Master of Tone and Taste and Less is More

22-Mar-14 02:53 PM

omar Said...

Slash should be in a higher number!! ......eric clapton uses fender stratocaster n not les paul That much

26-Mar-14 04:44 PM

Said...

Only one thing to say- Duane Allman, Dickey Betts and Warren Haynes. Especially Duane. He's mostly forgotten now since he died at 24. I guess the average age of these voters explains why.

11-Sep-14 10:29 PM

Tom Geoffory Said...

I quite like Whitesnake's Bernie Marsden, he had a nice pure sound, nice sustaining vibration and medolic style.

20-Mar-15 06:05 PM

Rick Said...

Apparently Bernie Marsden's Les Paul turned out to be the one stolen off Eric Clapton.